Siheyuan: Pretend to be a Pig and Eat the Tiger

Xu Damao sneered. You Fengxia was quite the schemer. She knew perfectly well that Brother Zhu had bought a batch of televisions, yet she still tricked both families into buying more. She was utterly despicable!
I'm not exactly a saint myself, so I can't possibly warn these two idiots who want to kick me out of the game, but I can certainly extort some money from them!
"What do you want?"

You Fengxia looked warily at the lecherous man in front of her. Could it be that this guy knew something? No, she had to test him, otherwise, there would be endless trouble!
"What do I want? Secretary You, shouldn't it be 'what do you want'? Li Huaide asked some men to act as matchmakers, and after finally finding a few partners, he kicked me, the matchmaker, out halfway through. As expected of Director Li, he really played his cards well!"

Xu Damao glared angrily at You Fengxia, putting on an act of being tricked. He wouldn't reveal that he already knew the truth about the forged documents, because he had more tricks up his sleeve!

"Da Mao, it's because you haven't made a decision yet that we can't help you, right? How about this, we'll give you 100,000 worth of goods?"

You Fengxia breathed a sigh of relief. She had wondered what the reason was, but it turned out to be this. Why didn't you say so earlier? Anyway, Old Li hadn't left yet, so bringing more wouldn't hurt.

It's all just a one-off deal anyway. After this, the TV business is over, so we'll have to find another way. These people are just easy targets; one more person and they'll be happy!

"Forget it, I don't eat other people's leftovers. But I've been doing all this work and you've kicked me out. You can't just leave me without compensation, can you?"

Xu Damao curled his lip. "I'm here to get benefits. As for the so-called television, you can do it or not, I'm not getting involved with it again!"
Good grief, we finally cleaned up the mess, why would we jump down again?

"Speak, what compensation do you want!"

You Fengxia was taken aback. Did this guy want her to sleep with him? She was indeed lonely during that time with that good-for-nothing Lao Li away.

If all else fails, I'll just agree. I won't lose anything anyway. It'll be a good opportunity to test the waters and see if this guy has discovered anything!
"Ahem, fifty thousand. Just give me fifty thousand, and I'll pretend I know nothing about this. Don't think I don't know your tricks, hehe!"

Xu Damao was almost certain that You Fengxia would not refuse; there was something wrong with her, and these people wouldn't take risks at crucial moments.

"Fifty thousand? Xu Damao, where do you get the confidence to think I would agree to this unreasonable demand?"

You Fengxia stared incredulously at the despicable Xu Damao. "Just kicking you out costs you 50,000? So you're asking me to give you 50,000 for doing nothing? Are you kidding me?"
Although this money isn't mine, I still have a share in it. If it weren't for the money, who would follow this old man all the way north and south?
"Hehe, little beauty, you should ask Li Huaide and see if my old boss will agree. He'll be waiting for Secretary You here tomorrow, haha..."

After Xu Damao finished speaking, he turned and left. He didn't know if he could agree, but when he thought of He Yuzhu's confident tone and expression, Xu Damao actually did it as if possessed!

When Xu Damao threatened You Fengxia, Yan Bugui was a guest at the Zhang family's house. He came mainly to fulfill He Yuzhu's request!

"Chunni, ever since Jia Zhangshi passed away, the Jia family's house has been empty. Now, things are changing rapidly outside, and most people are eyeing apartment buildings. What are your thoughts?"

"Second Uncle, what do you mean?" "Zhu Zi's two senior brothers have moved out. It is said that they bought a small courtyard house outside and sold the two rooms to Zhu Zi."

Currently, only the Jia family's house remains vacant in the Intermediate People's Court. Zhu Zi asked me to inquire whether you have any plans to sell it!

"Second Uncle, I don't plan to sell it. After all, that house is the only thing the Jia family left for Banggeng. If they come back sometime, I won't be able to explain it to them, will I?"

Chunnier didn't expect the He family to have their eyes on the west wing of the central courtyard. The reason that house had been left unused was because they were worried that their son would have nowhere to live when he came back. If they sold it, what would happen to their son when he came back?

"Sigh, Banggeng has been missing for almost five years. Chunnier, it's time to let go of some things. You think so too, right?"

The Gobi Desert in the border provinces is a barren land, and wolves roam there. Although it's hard to admit, after so many years, the chances of Banggeng surviving are truly slim!

Yan Bugui scoffed, "Bang Geng was caught stealing during his re-education by poor and lower-middle peasants and disappeared in the Gobi Desert. So many years have passed and he hasn't come back. Do you think he's still alive?"
If you were alive, with your own mother here, wouldn't you at least send me some news? So many years without a trace, is there any hope left?
Conversely, after He Yuzhu completes the acquisition of the compound, you have to sell this house whether you want to or not. The He family can't possibly let your son live in someone else's house, can they?

“Ni’er, agree now. We’ll figure out a solution when Banggeng comes back. Not only will we have to sell the house in the middle courtyard, but we’ll probably have to sell the front and back courtyards as well.”
Since Director He wants to buy the house in the central courtyard, he naturally doesn't want anyone to cross it. The next acquisition will likely be of the backyard. Once the backyard sale is complete, the front yard...

Second Uncle, don't be too happy yet. The west wing of the middle courtyard now will soon become the rear building of the front courtyard, and you won't be able to escape it either!

After Zhang Huaichen finished his persuasion, he gave Yan Bugui a cold look. He had long since given up on living in this compound. If he hadn't been short of money, he would have bought an apartment long ago.
Yan Bugui is so dedicated, he must have received a bribe from He Yuzhu, right? Oh well, if Chunni hadn't been so hung up on that little thief, she would have moved out long ago. Isn't this perfect?

"Hehe, Master Zhang has good insight. My house has already been sold, and I will be moving out soon. Right now, I'm just doing what someone asked me to do. Chunni, Master Zhang is a smart man. What's your opinion?"

Yan Bugui saw Zhang Huaichen's sarcasm as a joke. He had already sold his house and would probably never see these so-called neighbors again once he moved out, so why should he care?

"But what about us when Banggeng comes back..."

Chunni'er always believed that her son was not dead, and that she had already wronged the Jia family by remarrying. Now she had even sold all of the Jia family's houses. Once Banggeng returned, would the Zhang family take care of their son?
"Sigh, wife, so many years have passed, has Banggeng ever written you a letter? Give up, Banggeng is probably long gone!"

Zhang Huaichen understood Chunni'er's meaning, but how could he possibly make a promise? Besides, once they moved out, Banggeng wouldn't be able to find them again, so why make an unrealistic statement?
He had long planned to sell his job at the steel rolling mill, not only his own but also Chunni's. Seeing He Yuzhu's rapid rise to prominence, he too had considered starting his own business, though he hadn't yet decided to resign! (End of Chapter)